Pete Carroll please don’t draft Jimmy Clausen

A few weeks ago Fab Fiver/ESPN basketball analyst Jalen Rose tweeted, “Bucks Andrew Bogut just fell and injured his elbow (unfortunately) it reminded me of Joe Theisman’s leg after he was hit by LT (UGH!).” Isn’t it eerie that Lawrence Taylor, arguably the best defensive player in the history of the NFL, has the same initials as left tackle, the position he will forever be synonymous with?

The movie, The Blind Side, starts with LT ending Theisman’s career. The narrator explains the quarterback is historically the highest paid player on the field, but after LT blew up the blind side, the second highest paid player became the protector of the blind side, the left tackle. As the narrator moves along, the camera zooms in on still pictures of Seahawks quarterback, Matt Hasselbeck and left tackle, Walter Jones. Hasselbeck and Jones are used as evidence along with other QB/tackle tandems, but they are given the most face time. It’s a cool and rare collage of national exposure for the Seattle Seahawks, and a direct reminder of their number one need.

My friend Chad, who played for Tom Cable, an o-line guru, thinks the Hawks should draft offensive linemen, or as John Clayton calls them “big butts.” Although everyone knows the Hawks must use the sixth pick for an o-tackle, mock drafts are all over the board. In my opinion, it’s not safe to assume that one of the top two tackles, Russell Okung from Oklahoma State or Trent Williams from Oklahoma, will still be available at number six. According to Brandon Chatman of NewsOk.com, “If Okung falls to Seattle, Pete Carroll will be so happy that he might BASE jump off the space needle.” If that scenario plays out, boat loads of fans would be euphoric, and might jump along side Carroll, but what if both guys are gone by the time the Hawks are on the board? What then?

Seahawks blog, Field Gulls, tackled the topic of drafting for another weak spot, the secondary, “We have been trading and cutting players left and right in this offseason. We have so many needs it’s not even funny, however I am sick of seeing our secondary get burnt with such regularity. I’ve been trying to figure out what our biggest needs are but maybe we should just say F it, trade or cut Kelly Jennings and draft 6-Eric Berry (clearly the best safety in this draft) if he is there. Yes we have a lot of needs but maybe we should take this chance to solidify our secondary for many years to come … would be an ideal addition to Trufant and Wilson. What do you think?” -Bryanblair

Trufant has been getting slower in Madden over the years. -DetectiveM

The New Orleans Saints blog, Canal Street Chronicles, also predict the Seahawks draft Eric Berry, the safety from Tennessee.

“Two-thirds of the planet is covered by water; the rest is covered by Eric Berry.” -MtnExile

“I’ve seen this hyperbole attributed to several DB’s over the years. Any idea where it originates? Also, if Berry’s THAT good in coverage, then why isn’t he a cornerback.” -Coldpizza

MtnExile goes on to explain why the Hawks won’t draft Notre Dame QB Jimmy Clausen by comparing him to other college-phenom-busts, Brady Quinn, Rex Grossman and Ryan Leaf, but what intrigued me was his comment/question about Seahawks colors. What are they? Its navy blue, slate and neon green. They look like Navy SEALS, or frogmen. How can they feel like intimidating savages out on the field when they’re wobbling around in wetsuits? The Hawks should bring back the silver helmets/pants, white away jerseys and keep the Hawk logo with the angry eye, but retire the neon green.

Besides the draft and redesigning throwback uniforms, I have one final thought concerning the Hawks.

NBA basketball player, Matt Barnes, of the Orlando Magic, tweeted on the Donovan McNabb trade, “Another player that has carried a franchise for yrs was traded. No loyalty n sports. This is a BUSINESS. But we’re still blessed!! Cold Game!” Before Philly dealt McNabb to DC, I was hoping the Seahawks would acquire him and trail blaze the quarterback by committee concept. Running back by committee is the norm in the NFL. Most teams use 3 backs. The practice hasn’t spread to QB, but makes sense from a practical standpoint because every QB is one hit away. Hasselbeck and McNabb could have been a dynamic duo, both vets of the West Coast offense, both played with broken ribs last season, and both have a couple more good years. Whenever I start to think Hasselbeck sucks, he does what he did last season at home vs. the Niners. Hass, back from broken ribs, was a sand lot hero, running around like Brett Favre in a Wrangler commercial. Let’s see what he can do with a little protection and tall receivers.

Reed Wacker can be reached at reedwacker@gmail.com, his website or his Twitter feed.